Low cost communications demodulation for wireless power receiver system

ABSTRACT

A wireless receiver system includes a receiver antenna, a sensor, a demodulation circuit, and a receiver controller. The sensor is configured to detect electrical information associated with AC wireless signals, the electrical information including, at least, a voltage of the AC wireless signals. The demodulation circuit is configured to receive the electrical information from the at least one sensor, detect a change in the electrical information, determine if the change in the electrical information meets or exceeds one of a rise threshold or a fall threshold, if the change exceeds one of the rise threshold or the fall threshold, generate an alert, and output a plurality of data alerts. The receiver controller is configured to receive the plurality of data alerts from the demodulation circuit, and decode the plurality of data alerts into the wireless data signals.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S.Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 16/938,630, filed on Jul. 24, 2020,and entitled “LOW COST COMMUNICATIONS DEMODULATION FOR WIRELESS POWERRECEIVER SYSTEM,” which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods forwireless transfer of electrical power and/or electrical data signals,and, more particularly, to low cost demodulation circuits for wirelesspower transfer systems that accurately demodulate in-band communicationssignals.

BACKGROUND

Wireless connection systems are used in a variety of applications forthe wireless transfer of electrical energy, electrical power,electromagnetic energy, electrical data signals, among other knownwirelessly transmittable signals. Such systems often use inductiveand/or resonant inductive wireless power transfer, which occurs whenmagnetic fields created by a transmitting element induce an electricfield and, hence, an electric current, in a receiving element. Thesetransmitting and receiving elements will often take the form of coiledwires and/or antennas.

Transmission of one or more of electrical energy, electrical power,electromagnetic energy and/or electronic data signals from one of suchcoiled antennas to another, generally, operates at an operatingfrequency and/or an operating frequency range. The operating frequencymay be selected for a variety of reasons, such as, but not limited to,power transfer characteristics, power level characteristics,self-resonant frequency restraints, design requirements, adherence tostandards bodies' required characteristics (e.g. electromagneticinterference (EMI) requirements, specific absorption rate (SAR)requirements, among other things), bill of materials (BOM), and/or formfactor constraints, among other things. It is to be noted that,“self-resonating frequency,” as known to those having skill in the art,generally refers to the resonant frequency of a passive component (e.g.,an inductor) due to the parasitic characteristics of the component.

When such systems operate to wirelessly transfer power from atransmission system to a receiver system, via the coils and/or antennas,it is often desired to simultaneously or intermittently communicateelectronic data from one system to the other. To that end, a variety ofcommunications systems, methods, and/or apparatus have been utilized forcombined wireless power and wireless data transfer. In some examplesystems, wireless power transfer related communications (e.g.,validation procedures, electronic characteristics data communications,voltage data, current data, device type data, among other contemplateddata communications) are performed using other circuitry, such as anoptional Near Field Communications (NFC) antenna utilized to complimentthe wireless power system and/or additional Bluetooth chipsets for datacommunications, among other known communications circuits and/orantennas.

However, using additional antennas and/or circuitry can give rise toseveral disadvantages. For instance, using additional antennas and/orcircuitry can be inefficient and/or can increase the BOM of a wirelesspower system, which raises the cost for putting wireless power into anelectronic device. Further, in some such systems, out of bandcommunications provided by such additional antennas may result ininterference, such as cross-talk between the antennas; such cross talkmay present challenges in. Further yet, inclusion of such additionalantennas and/or circuitry can result in worsened EMI, as introduction ofthe additional system will cause greater harmonic distortion, incomparison to a system wherein both a wireless power signal and a datasignal are within the same channel. Still further, inclusion ofadditional antennas and/or circuitry hardware, for communications orincreased charging or powering area, may increase the area within adevice, for which the wireless power systems and/or components thereofreside, complicating a build of an end product.

SUMMARY

Thus, low cost and/or low BOM demodulation circuits that allow for fastand accurate in-band communications are desired.

The demodulation circuit of the wireless power receivers disclosedherein is a relatively inexpensive and/or simplified circuit utilizedto, at least partially, decode or demodulate ASK signals down to alertsfor rising and falling edges of a data signal. So long as thetransmission controller 28 is programmed to understand the coding schemaof the ASK modulation, the receiver controller will expend far lesscomputational resources than it would if it had to decode the leadingand falling edges directly from an input current or voltage sense signalfrom the sensing system. To that end, as the computational resourcesrequired by the receiver controller to decode the wireless data signalsare significantly decreased due to the inclusion of the demodulationcircuit. Thus, it follows, that the demodulation circuit maysignificantly reduce BOM of the wireless receiver system, by allowingusage of cheaper, less computationally capable processor(s) for or withthe receiver controller.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a wireless receiversystem is disclosed. The wireless receiver system includes a receiverantenna, at least one sensor, a demodulation circuit, and a receivercontroller. The receiver antenna is configured to couple with at leastone other antenna of at least one other system and receive alternatingcurrent (AC) wireless signals from the at least one antenna, the ACwireless signals including wireless power signals and wireless datasignals, the wireless data signals generated by altering electricalcharacteristics of the AC wireless signals at the at least one othersystem. The at least one sensor is configured to detect electricalinformation associated with the electrical characteristics of the ACwireless signals, the electrical information including one or more of acurrent of the AC wireless signals, a voltage of the AC wirelesssignals, a power level of the AC wireless signals, or combinationsthereof. The demodulation circuit is configured to (i) receive theelectrical information from the at least one sensor, (ii) detect achange in the electrical information, (iii) determine if the change inthe electrical information meets or exceeds one of a rise threshold or afall threshold, (iv) if the change exceeds one of the rise threshold orthe fall threshold, generate an alert, (v) and output a plurality ofdata alerts. The transmitter controller is configured to (i) receive theplurality of data alerts from the demodulation circuit, and (ii) decodethe plurality of data alerts into the wireless data signals.

In a refinement, the wireless data signals are encoded by the at leastone other system as amplitude shift keying (ASK) data signals.

In a refinement, the at least one other system encodes the wireless datasignals as high threshold and low threshold voltages of the AC wirelesssignals.

In a further refinement, the rise threshold is associated with the highthreshold voltage and the fall threshold is associated with the lowthreshold voltage.

In another further refinement, the wireless data signals are encoded aspulse width encoded wireless data signals.

In a refinement, the electrical characteristics include a voltage of thewireless power signals and the demodulation circuit includes a slopedetector circuit configured to determine a voltage rate of change forthe voltage of the wireless power signals.

In a further refinement, the demodulation circuit includes a comparatorcircuit configured to (i) receive the voltage rate of change, (ii)compare the voltage rate of change to a rising rate of change, and (iii)determine that the change in the electrical characteristics meets orexceeds the rise threshold, if the voltage rate of change meets orexceeds the rising rate of change.

In another further refinement, the demodulation circuit includes acomparator circuit configured to (i) receive the voltage rate of change,(ii) compare the voltage rate of change to a falling rate of change, and(iii) determine that the change in the electrical characteristics meetsor exceeds the fall threshold, if the voltage rate of change meets orexceeds the falling rate of change.

In another further refinement, the demodulation circuit includes acomparator circuit configured to (i) receive the voltage rate of change,(ii) compare the voltage rate of change to a rising rate of change,(iii) determine that the change in the electrical characteristics meetsor exceeds the rise threshold, if the voltage rate of change meets orexceeds the rising rate of change, (iv) compare the voltage rate ofchange to a falling rate of change, and (v) determine that the change inthe electrical characteristics meets or exceeds the fall threshold, ifthe voltage rate of change meets or exceeds the falling rate of change.

In yet a further refinement, the demodulation circuit includes aset/reset (SR) latch in operative communication with the comparatorcircuit.

In a refinement, the receiver antenna is configured to operate based onan operating frequency of about 6.78 MHz.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a wireless powertransfer system is disclosed. The wireless power transfer system isconfigured to transfer alternating current (AC) wireless signals, whichinclude wireless power signals and wireless data signals. The wirelesspower transfer system includes a wireless transmission system includinga transmission antenna and configured to alter electricalcharacteristics of the AC wireless signals. The wireless power transfersystem further includes a wireless receiver system. The wirelesstransmission system includes a receiver antenna, at least one sensor, ademodulation circuit, and a receiver controller. The receiver antenna isconfigured to couple with the transmission antenna and receivealternating current (AC) wireless signals from the transmission antenna.The at least one sensor is configured to detect electrical informationassociated with the electrical characteristics of the AC wirelesssignals, the electrical information including one or more of a currentof the AC wireless signals, a voltage of the AC wireless signals, apower level of the AC wireless signals, or combinations thereof. Thedemodulation circuit is configured to (i) receive the electricalinformation from the at least one sensor, (ii) detect a change in theelectrical information, (iii) determine if the change in the electricalinformation meets or exceeds one of a rise threshold or a fallthreshold, (iv) if the change exceeds one of the rise threshold or thefall threshold, generate an alert, (v) and output a plurality of dataalerts. The transmitter controller is configured to (i) receive theplurality of data alerts from the demodulation circuit, and (ii) decodethe plurality of data alerts into the wireless data signals.

In a refinement, the wireless data signals include a voltage of powertransmitted by the wireless transmission system.

In a refinement, the transmission antenna and the receiver antenna areconfigured to operate based on an operating frequency of about 6.78 MHz.

In a refinement, the wireless transmission system encodes the wirelessdata signals as high threshold and low threshold voltages of the ACwireless signals.

In a further refinement, the rise threshold is associated with the highthreshold voltage and the fall threshold is associated with the lowthreshold voltage.

In yet a further refinement, the wireless data signals are encoded aspulse width encoded wireless data signals.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the disclosure, a demodulationcircuit for a wireless power receiver system is disclosed. The wirelesspower receiver system is configured to receive wireless power signals.The demodulation circuit includes a slope detector circuit configured todetermine a voltage rate of change for a voltage of the wireless powersignals. The demodulation circuit further includes a comparator circuitconfigured to (i) receive the voltage rate of change, (ii) compare thevoltage rate of change to a rising rate of change, (iii) determine ifthe voltage rate of change meets or exceeds a rising rate of change,(iv) compare the voltage rate of change to a falling rate of change, (v)determine if the voltage rate of change meets or exceeds the fallingrate of change and (vi) if the voltage rate of change exceeds the risingor falling rate of change, generate an alert.

In a refinement, the demodulation circuit further includes a set/reset(SR) latch in operative communication with the comparator circuit.

These and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will bebetter understood when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system for wirelesslytransferring one or more of electrical energy, electrical power signals,electrical power, electromagnetic energy, electronic data, andcombinations thereof, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of a wirelesstransmission system of FIG. 1 and a wireless receiver system of FIG. 1 ,in accordance with FIG. 1 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating components of a transmissioncontrol system of the wireless transmission system of FIG. 2 , inaccordance with FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating components of a sensing system ofthe transmission control system of FIG. 3 , in accordance with FIGS. 1-3and the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating components of a powerconditioning system of the wireless transmission system of FIG. 2 , inaccordance with FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating components of a receiver controlsystem and a receiver power conditioning system of the wireless receiversystem of FIG. 2 , in accordance with FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram for an example low pass filter of the sensingsystem of FIG. 4 , in accordance with FIGS. 1-4 and the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating components of a demodulationcircuit for the wireless receiver system of FIG. 6 , in accordance withFIGS. 2, 6, 7 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is an electrical schematic diagram for the demodulation circuitof FIG. 6 , in accordance with FIGS. 2, 6-8 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a timing diagram for voltages of an electrical signal, as ittravels through the demodulation circuit, in accordance with FIGS. 1-7and the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a non-limiting, exemplary antenna, for use as atransmitter or receiver antenna of the system of FIGS. 1-10 and/or anyother systems, methods, or apparatus disclosed herein, in accordancewith the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart for an exemplary method for designing a systemfor wireless transmission of one or more of electrical energy,electrical power signals, electrical power, electrical electromagneticenergy, electronic data, and combinations thereof, in accordance withFIGS. 1-11 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart for an exemplary method for designing a wirelesstransmission system for the system of FIG. 12 , in accordance with FIGS.1-12 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart for an exemplary method for designing a wirelessreceiver system for the system of FIG. 12 , in accordance with FIGS.1-12 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart for an exemplary method for manufacturing asystem for wireless transmission of one or more of electrical energy,electrical power signals, electrical power, electrical electromagneticenergy, electronic data, and combinations thereof, in accordance withFIGS. 1-11 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart for an exemplary method for manufacturing awireless transmission system for the system of FIG. 15 , in accordancewith FIGS. 1-11, 15 and the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart for an exemplary method for designing a wirelessreceiver system for the system of FIG. 15 , in accordance with FIGS.1-11, 15 , and the present disclosure.

While the following detailed description will be given with respect tocertain illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that thedrawings are not necessarily to scale and the disclosed embodiments aresometimes illustrated diagrammatically and in partial views. Inaddition, in certain instances, details which are not necessary for anunderstanding of the disclosed subject matter or which render otherdetails too difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It shouldtherefore be understood that this disclosure is not limited to theparticular embodiments disclosed and illustrated herein, but rather to afair reading of the entire disclosure and claims, as well as anyequivalents thereto. Additional, different, or fewer components andmethods may be included in the systems and methods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth byway of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of therelevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled inthe art that the present teachings may be practiced without suchdetails. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components,and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, withoutdetail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the presentteachings.

Referring now to the drawings and with specific reference to FIG. 1 , awireless power transfer system 10 is illustrated. The wireless powertransfer system 10 provides for the wireless transmission of electricalsignals, such as, but not limited to, electrical energy, electricalpower, electrical power signals, electromagnetic energy, andelectronically transmittable data (“electronic data”). As used herein,the term “electrical power signal” refers to an electrical signaltransmitted specifically to provide meaningful electrical energy forcharging and/or directly powering a load, whereas the term “electronicdata signal” refers to an electrical signal that is utilized to conveydata across a medium.

The wireless power transfer system 10 provides for the wirelesstransmission of electrical signals via near field magnetic coupling. Asshown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the wireless power transfer system10 includes one or more wireless transmission systems 20 and one or morewireless receiver systems 30. A wireless receiver system 30 isconfigured to receive electrical signals from, at least, a wirelesstransmission system 20.

As illustrated, the wireless transmission system(s) 20 and wirelessreceiver system(s) 30 may be configured to transmit electrical signalsacross, at least, a separation distance or gap 17. A separation distanceor gap, such as the gap 17, in the context of a wireless power transfersystem, such as the system 10, does not include a physical connection,such as a wired connection. There may be intermediary objects located ina separation distance or gap, such as, but not limited to, air, acounter top, a casing for an electronic device, a plastic filament, aninsulator, a mechanical wall, among other things; however, there is nophysical, electrical connection at such a separation distance or gap.

Thus, the combination of two or more wireless transmission systems 20and wireless receiver system 30 create an electrical connection withoutthe need for a physical connection. As used herein, the term “electricalconnection” refers to any facilitation of a transfer of an electricalcurrent, voltage, and/or power from a first location, device, component,and/or source to a second location, device, component, and/ordestination. An “electrical connection” may be a physical connection,such as, but not limited to, a wire, a trace, a via, among otherphysical electrical connections, connecting a first location, device,component, and/or source to a second location, device, component, and/ordestination. Additionally or alternatively, an “electrical connection”may be a wireless power and/or data transfer, such as, but not limitedto, magnetic, electromagnetic, resonant, and/or inductive field, amongother wireless power and/or data transfers, connecting a first location,device, component, and/or source to a second location, device,component, and/or destination.

Further, while FIGS. 1-2 may depict wireless power signals and wirelessdata signals transferring only from one antenna (e.g., a transmissionantenna 21) to another antenna (e.g., a receiver antenna 31 and/or atransmission antenna 21), it is certainly possible that a transmittingantenna 21 may transfer electrical signals and/or couple with one ormore other antennas and transfer, at least in part, components of theoutput signals or magnetic fields of the transmitting antenna 21. Suchtransmission may include secondary and/or stray coupling or signaltransfer to multiple antennas of the system 10.

In some cases, the gap 17 may also be referenced as a “Z-Distance,”because, if one considers an antenna 21, 31 each to be disposedsubstantially along respective common X-Y planes, then the distanceseparating the antennas 21, 31 is the gap in a “Z” or “depth” direction.However, flexible and/or non-planar coils are certainly contemplated byembodiments of the present disclosure and, thus, it is contemplated thatthe gap 17 may not be uniform, across an envelope of connectiondistances between the antennas 21, 31. It is contemplated that varioustunings, configurations, and/or other parameters may alter the possiblemaximum distance of the gap 17, such that electrical transmission fromthe wireless transmission system 20 to the wireless receiver system 30remains possible.

The wireless power transfer system 10 operates when the wirelesstransmission system 20 and the wireless receiver system 30 are coupled.As used herein, the terms “couples,” “coupled,” and “coupling” generallyrefer to magnetic field coupling, which occurs when a transmitter and/orany components thereof and a receiver and/or any components thereof arecoupled to each other through a magnetic field. Such coupling mayinclude coupling, represented by a coupling coefficient (k), that is atleast sufficient for an induced electrical power signal, from atransmitter, to be harnessed by a receiver. Coupling of the wirelesstransmission system 20 and the wireless receiver system 30, in thesystem 10, may be represented by a resonant coupling coefficient of thesystem 10 and, for the purposes of wireless power transfer, the couplingcoefficient for the system 10 may be in the range of about 0.01 and 0.9.

As illustrated, at least one wireless transmission system 20 isassociated with an input power source 12. The input power source 12 maybe operatively associated with a host device, which may be anyelectrically operated device, circuit board, electronic assembly,dedicated charging device, or any other contemplated electronic device.Example host devices, with which the wireless transmission system 20 maybe associated therewith, include, but are not limited to including, adevice that includes an integrated circuit, a portable computing device,storage medium for electronic devices, charging apparatus for one ormultiple electronic devices, dedicated electrical charging devices,among other contemplated electronic devices.

The input power source 12 may be or may include one or more electricalstorage devices, such as an electrochemical cell, a battery pack, and/ora capacitor, among other storage devices. Additionally or alternatively,the input power source 12 may be any electrical input source (e.g., anyalternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) delivery port) and mayinclude connection apparatus from said electrical input source to thewireless transmission system 20 (e.g., transformers, regulators,conductive conduits, traces, wires, or equipment, goods, computer,camera, mobile phone, and/or other electrical device connection portsand/or adaptors, such as but not limited to USB ports and/or adaptors,among other contemplated electrical components).

Electrical energy received by the wireless transmission system(s) 20 isthen used for at least two purposes: to provide electrical power tointernal components of the wireless transmission system 20 and toprovide electrical power to the transmission antenna 21. Thetransmission antenna 21 is configured to wirelessly transmit theelectrical signals conditioned and modified for wireless transmission bythe wireless transmission system 20 via near-field magnetic coupling(NFMC). Near-field magnetic coupling enables the transfer of signalswirelessly through magnetic induction between the transmission antenna21 and one or more of receiving antenna 31 of, or associated with, thewireless receiver system 30, another transmission antenna 21, orcombinations thereof. Near-field magnetic coupling may be and/or bereferred to as “inductive coupling,” which, as used herein, is awireless power transmission technique that utilizes an alternatingelectromagnetic field to transfer electrical energy between twoantennas. Such inductive coupling is the near field wirelesstransmission of magnetic energy between two magnetically coupled coilsthat are tuned to resonate at a similar frequency. Accordingly, suchnear-field magnetic coupling may enable efficient wireless powertransmission via resonant transmission of confined magnetic fields.Further, such near-field magnetic coupling may provide connection via“mutual inductance,” which, as defined herein is the production of anelectromotive force in a circuit by a change in current in a secondcircuit magnetically coupled to the first.

In one or more embodiments, the inductor coils of either thetransmission antenna 21 or the receiver antenna 31 are strategicallypositioned to facilitate reception and/or transmission of wirelesslytransferred electrical signals through near field magnetic induction.Antenna operating frequencies may comprise relatively high operatingfrequency ranges, examples of which may include, but are not limited to,6.78 MHz (e.g., in accordance with the Rezence and/or Airfuel interfacestandard and/or any other proprietary interface standard operating at afrequency of 6.78 MHz), 13.56 MHz (e.g., in accordance with the NFCstandard, defined by ISO/IEC standard 18092), 27 MHz, and/or anoperating frequency of another proprietary operating mode. The operatingfrequencies of the antennas 21, 31 may be operating frequenciesdesignated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in theIndustrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) frequency bands, including notlimited to 6.78 MHz, 13.56 MHz, and 27 MHz, which are designated for usein wireless power transfer.

The transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna of the presentdisclosure may be configured to transmit and/or receive electrical powerhaving a magnitude that ranges from about 10 milliwatts (mW) to about500 watts (W). In one or more embodiments the inductor coil of thetransmitting antenna 21 is configured to resonate at a transmittingantenna resonant frequency or within a transmitting antenna resonantfrequency band.

As known to those skilled in the art, a “resonant frequency” or“resonant frequency band” refers a frequency or frequencies whereinamplitude response of the antenna is at a relative maximum, or,additionally or alternatively, the frequency or frequency band where thecapacitive reactance has a magnitude substantially similar to themagnitude of the inductive reactance. In one or more embodiments, thetransmitting antenna resonant frequency is at a high frequency, as knownto those in the art of wireless power transfer.

The wireless receiver system 30 may be associated with at least oneelectronic device 14, wherein the electronic device 14 may be any devicethat requires electrical power for any function and/or for power storage(e.g., via a battery and/or capacitor). Additionally, the electronicdevice 14 may be any device capable of receipt of electronicallytransmissible data. For example, the device may be, but is not limitedto being, a handheld computing device, a mobile device, a portableappliance, a computer peripheral, an integrated circuit, an identifiabletag, a kitchen utility device, an electronic tool, an electric vehicle,a game console, a robotic device, a wearable electronic device (e.g., anelectronic watch, electronically modified glasses, altered-reality (AR)glasses, virtual reality (VR) glasses, among other things), a portablescanning device, a portable identifying device, a sporting good, anembedded sensor, an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor, IoT enabledclothing, IoT enabled recreational equipment, industrial equipment,medical equipment, a medical device a tablet computing device, aportable control device, a remote controller for an electronic device, agaming controller, among other things.

For the purposes of illustrating the features and characteristics of thedisclosed embodiments, arrow-ended lines are utilized to illustratetransferrable and/or communicative signals and various patterns are usedto illustrate electrical signals that are intended for powertransmission and electrical signals that are intended for thetransmission of data and/or control instructions. Solid lines indicatesignal transmission of electrical energy over a physical and/or wirelesspower transfer, in the form of power signals that are, ultimately,utilized in wireless power transmission from the wireless transmissionsystem 20 to the wireless receiver system 30. Further, dotted lines areutilized to illustrate electronically transmittable data signals, whichultimately may be wirelessly transmitted from the wireless transmissionsystem 20 to the wireless receiver system 30.

While the systems and methods herein illustrate the transmission ofwirelessly transmitted energy, wireless power signals, wirelesslytransmitted power, wirelessly transmitted electromagnetic energy, and/orelectronically transmittable data, it is certainly contemplated that thesystems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein may be utilized in thetransmission of only one signal, various combinations of two signals, ormore than two signals and, further, it is contemplated that the systems,method, and apparatus disclosed herein may be utilized for wirelesstransmission of other electrical signals in addition to or uniquely incombination with one or more of the above mentioned signals. In someexamples, the signal paths of solid or dotted lines may represent afunctional signal path, whereas, in practical application, the actualsignal is routed through additional components en route to its indicateddestination. For example, it may be indicated that a data signal routesfrom a communications apparatus to another communications apparatus;however, in practical application, the data signal may be routed throughan amplifier, then through a transmission antenna, to a receiverantenna, where, on the receiver end, the data signal is decoded by arespective communications device of the receiver.

Turning now to FIG. 2 , the wireless power transfer system 10 isillustrated as a block diagram including example sub-systems of both thewireless transmission systems 20 and the wireless receiver systems 30.The wireless transmission systems 20 may include, at least, a powerconditioning system 40, a transmission control system 26, a transmissiontuning system 24, and the transmission antenna 21. A first portion ofthe electrical energy input from the input power source 12 may beconfigured to electrically power components of the wireless transmissionsystem 20 such as, but not limited to, the transmission control system26. A second portion of the electrical energy input from the input powersource 12 is conditioned and/or modified for wireless powertransmission, to the wireless receiver system 30, via the transmissionantenna 21. Accordingly, the second portion of the input energy ismodified and/or conditioned by the power conditioning system 40. Whilenot illustrated, it is certainly contemplated that one or both of thefirst and second portions of the input electrical energy may bemodified, conditioned, altered, and/or otherwise changed prior toreceipt by the power conditioning system 40 and/or transmission controlsystem 26, by further contemplated subsystems (e.g., a voltageregulator, a current regulator, switching systems, fault systems, safetyregulators, among other things).

Referring now to FIG. 3 , with continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 ,subcomponents and/or systems of the transmission control system 26 areillustrated. The transmission control system 26 may include a sensingsystem 50, a transmission controller 28, a communications system 29, adriver 48, and a memory 27.

The transmission controller 28 may be any electronic controller orcomputing system that includes, at least, a processor which performsoperations, executes control algorithms, stores data, retrieves data,gathers data, controls and/or provides communication with othercomponents and/or subsystems associated with the wireless transmissionsystem 20, and/or performs any other computing or controlling taskdesired. The transmission controller 28 may be a single controller ormay include more than one controller disposed to control variousfunctions and/or features of the wireless transmission system 20.Functionality of the transmission controller 28 may be implemented inhardware and/or software and may rely on one or more data maps relatingto the operation of the wireless transmission system 20. To that end,the transmission controller 28 may be operatively associated with thememory 27. The memory may include one or more of internal memory,external memory, and/or remote memory (e.g., a database and/or serveroperatively connected to the transmission controller 28 via a network,such as, but not limited to, the Internet). The internal memory and/orexternal memory may include, but are not limited to including, one ormore of a read only memory (ROM), including programmable read-onlymemory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM orsometimes but rarely labelled EROM), electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (EEPROM), random access memory (RAM), including dynamicRAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), singledata rate synchronous dynamic RAM (SDR SDRAM), double data ratesynchronous dynamic RAM (DDR SDRAM, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4), and graphicsdouble data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (GDDR SDRAM, GDDR2, GDDR3,GDDR4, GDDR5, a flash memory, a portable memory, and the like. Suchmemory media are examples of nontransitory machine readable and/orcomputer readable memory media.

While particular elements of the transmission control system 26 areillustrated as independent components and/or circuits (e.g., the driver48, the memory 27, the communications system 29, the sensing system 50,among other contemplated elements) of the transmission control system26, such components may be integrated with the transmission controller28. In some examples, the transmission controller 28 may be anintegrated circuit configured to include functional elements of one orboth of the transmission controller 28 and the wireless transmissionsystem 20, generally.

As illustrated, the transmission controller 28 is in operativeassociation, for the purposes of data transmission, receipt, and/orcommunication, with, at least, the memory 27, the communications system29, the power conditioning system 40, the driver 48, and the sensingsystem 50. The driver 48 may be implemented to control, at least inpart, the operation of the power conditioning system 40. In someexamples, the driver 48 may receive instructions from the transmissioncontroller 28 to generate and/or output a generated pulse widthmodulation (PWM) signal to the power conditioning system 40. In somesuch examples, the PWM signal may be configured to drive the powerconditioning system 40 to output electrical power as an alternatingcurrent signal, having an operating frequency defined by the PWM signal.In some examples, PWM signal may be configured to generate a duty cyclefor the AC power signal output by the power conditioning system 40. Insome such examples, the duty cycle may be configured to be about 50% ofa given period of the AC power signal.

The sensing system may include one or more sensors, wherein each sensormay be operatively associated with one or more components of thewireless transmission system 20 and configured to provide informationand/or data. The term “sensor” is used in its broadest interpretation todefine one or more components operatively associated with the wirelesstransmission system 20 that operate to sense functions, conditions,electrical characteristics, operations, and/or operating characteristicsof one or more of the wireless transmission system 20, the wirelessreceiving system 30, the input power source 12, the host device 11, thetransmission antenna 21, the receiver antenna 31, along with any othercomponents and/or subcomponents thereof.

As illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the sensing system 50 mayinclude, but is not limited to including, a thermal sensing system 52,an object sensing system 54, a receiver sensing system 56, and/or anyother sensor(s) 58. Within these systems, there may exist even morespecific optional additional or alternative sensing systems addressingparticular sensing aspects required by an application, such as, but notlimited to: a condition-based maintenance sensing system, a performanceoptimization sensing system, a state-of-charge sensing system, atemperature management sensing system, a component heating sensingsystem, an IoT sensing system, an energy and/or power management sensingsystem, an impact detection sensing system, an electrical status sensingsystem, a speed detection sensing system, a device health sensingsystem, among others. The object sensing system 54, may be a foreignobject detection (FOD) system.

Each of the thermal sensing system 52, the object sensing system 54, thereceiver sensing system 56, and/or the other sensor(s) 58, including theoptional additional or alternative systems, are operatively and/orcommunicatively connected to the transmission controller 28. The thermalsensing system 52 is configured to monitor ambient and/or componenttemperatures within the wireless transmission system 20 or otherelements nearby the wireless transmission system 20. The thermal sensingsystem 52 may be configured to detect a temperature within the wirelesstransmission system 20 and, if the detected temperature exceeds athreshold temperature, the transmission controller 28 prevents thewireless transmission system 20 from operating. Such a thresholdtemperature may be configured for safety considerations, operationalconsiderations, efficiency considerations, and/or any combinationsthereof. In a non-limiting example, if, via input from the thermalsensing system 52, the transmission controller 28 determines that thetemperature within the wireless transmission system 20 has increasedfrom an acceptable operating temperature to an undesired operatingtemperature (e.g., in a non-limiting example, the internal temperatureincreasing from about 20° Celsius (C) to about 50° C., the transmissioncontroller 28 prevents the operation of the wireless transmission system20 and/or reduces levels of power output from the wireless transmissionsystem 20. In some non-limiting examples, the thermal sensing system 52may include one or more of a thermocouple, a thermistor, a negativetemperature coefficient (NTC) resistor, a resistance temperaturedetector (RTD), and/or any combinations thereof.

As depicted in FIG. 4 , the transmission sensing system 50 may includethe object sensing system 54. The object sensing system 54 may beconfigured to detect one or more of the wireless receiver system 30and/or the receiver antenna 31, thus indicating to the transmissioncontroller 28 that the receiver system 30 is proximate to the wirelesstransmission system 20. Additionally or alternatively, the objectsensing system 54 may be configured to detect presence of unwantedobjects in contact with or proximate to the wireless transmission system20. In some examples, the object sensing system 54 is configured todetect the presence of an undesired object. In some such examples, ifthe transmission controller 28, via information provided by the objectsensing system 54, detects the presence of an undesired object, then thetransmission controller 28 prevents or otherwise modifies operation ofthe wireless transmission system 20. In some examples, the objectsensing system 54 utilizes an impedance change detection scheme, inwhich the transmission controller 28 analyzes a change in electricalimpedance observed by the transmission antenna 20 against a known,acceptable electrical impedance value or range of electrical impedancevalues.

Additionally or alternatively, the object sensing system 54 may utilizea quality factor (Q) change detection scheme, in which the transmissioncontroller 28 analyzes a change from a known quality factor value orrange of quality factor values of the object being detected, such as thereceiver antenna 31. The “quality factor” or “Q” of an inductor can bedefined as (frequency (Hz)×inductance (H))/resistance (ohms), wherefrequency is the operational frequency of the circuit, inductance is theinductance output of the inductor and resistance is the combination ofthe radiative and reactive resistances that are internal to theinductor. “Quality factor,” as defined herein, is generally accepted asan index (figure of measure) that measures the efficiency of anapparatus like an antenna, a circuit, or a resonator. In some examples,the object sensing system 54 may include one or more of an opticalsensor, an electro-optical sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a proximitysensor, and/or any combinations thereof. In some examples, the qualityfactor measurements, described above, may be performed when the wirelesspower transfer system 10 is performing in band communications.

The receiver sensing system 56 is any sensor, circuit, and/orcombinations thereof configured to detect presence of any wirelessreceiving system that may be couplable with the wireless transmissionsystem 20. In some examples, the receiver sensing system 56 and theobject sensing system 54 may be combined, may share components, and/ormay be embodied by one or more common components. In some examples, ifthe presence of any such wireless receiving system is detected, wirelesstransmission of electrical energy, electrical power, electromagneticenergy, and/or data by the wireless transmission system 20 to saidwireless receiving system is enabled. In some examples, if the presenceof a wireless receiver system is not detected, continued wirelesstransmission of electrical energy, electrical power, electromagneticenergy, and/or data is prevented from occurring. Accordingly, thereceiver sensing system 56 may include one or more sensors and/or may beoperatively associated with one or more sensors that are configured toanalyze electrical characteristics within an environment of or proximateto the wireless transmission system 20 and, based on the electricalcharacteristics, determine presence of a wireless receiver system 30.

Referring now to FIG. 5 , and with continued reference to FIGS. 1-4 , ablock diagram illustrating an embodiment of the power conditioningsystem 40 is illustrated. At the power conditioning system 40,electrical power is received, generally, as a DC power source, via theinput power source 12 itself or an intervening power converter,converting an AC source to a DC source (not shown). A voltage regulator46 receives the electrical power from the input power source 12 and isconfigured to provide electrical power for transmission by the antenna21 and provide electrical power for powering components of the wirelesstransmission system 21. Accordingly, the voltage regulator 46 isconfigured to convert the received electrical power into at least twoelectrical power signals, each at a proper voltage for operation of therespective downstream components: a first electrical power signal toelectrically power any components of the wireless transmission system 20and a second portion conditioned and modified for wireless transmissionto the wireless receiver system 30. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , such afirst portion is transmitted to, at least, the sensing system 50, thetransmission controller 28, and the communications system 29; however,the first portion is not limited to transmission to just thesecomponents and can be transmitted to any electrical components of thewireless transmission system 20.

The second portion of the electrical power is provided to an amplifier42 of the power conditioning system 40, which is configured to conditionthe electrical power for wireless transmission by the antenna 21. Theamplifier may function as an invertor, which receives an input DC powersignal from the voltage regulator 46 and generates an AC as output,based, at least in part, on PWM input from the transmission controlsystem 26. The amplifier 42 may be or include, for example, a powerstage invertor, such as a single field effect transistor (FET), a dualfield effect transistor power stage invertor or a quadruple field effecttransistor power stage invertor. The use of the amplifier 42 within thepower conditioning system 40 and, in turn, the wireless transmissionsystem 20 enables wireless transmission of electrical signals havingmuch greater amplitudes than if transmitted without such an amplifier.For example, the addition of the amplifier 42 may enable the wirelesstransmission system 20 to transmit electrical energy as an electricalpower signal having electrical power from about 10 mW to about 500 W. Insome examples, the amplifier 42 may be or may include one or moreclass-E power amplifiers. Class-E power amplifiers are efficiently tunedswitching power amplifiers designed for use at high frequencies (e.g.,frequencies from about 1 MHz to about 1 GHz). Generally, a single-endedclass-E amplifier employs a single-terminal switching element and atuned reactive network between the switch and an output load (e.g., theantenna 21). Class E amplifiers may achieve high efficiency at highfrequencies by only operating the switching element at points of zerocurrent (e.g., on-to-off switching) or zero voltage (off to onswitching). Such switching characteristics may minimize power lost inthe switch, even when the switching time of the device is long comparedto the frequency of operation. However, the amplifier 42 is certainlynot limited to being a class-E power amplifier and may be or may includeone or more of a class D amplifier, a class EF amplifier, an H invertoramplifier, and/or a push-pull invertor, among other amplifiers thatcould be included as part of the amplifier 42.

Turning now to FIG. 6 and with continued reference to, at least, FIGS. 1and 2 , the wireless receiver system 30 is illustrated in furtherdetail. The wireless receiver system 30 is configured to receive, atleast, electrical energy, electrical power, electromagnetic energy,and/or electrically transmittable data via near field magnetic couplingfrom the wireless transmission system 20, via the transmission antenna21. As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the wireless receiver system 30 includes,at least, the receiver antenna 31, a receiver tuning and filteringsystem 34, a power conditioning system 32, a receiver control system 36,and a voltage isolation circuit 70. The receiver tuning and filteringsystem 34 may be configured to substantially match the electricalimpedance of the wireless transmission system 20. In some examples, thereceiver tuning and filtering system 34 may be configured to dynamicallyadjust and substantially match the electrical impedance of the receiverantenna 31 to a characteristic impedance of the power generator or theload at a driving frequency of the transmission antenna 20.

As illustrated, the power conditioning system 32 includes a rectifier 33and a voltage regulator 35. In some examples, the rectifier 33 is inelectrical connection with the receiver tuning and filtering system 34.The rectifier 33 is configured to modify the received electrical energyfrom an alternating current electrical energy signal to a direct currentelectrical energy signal. In some examples, the rectifier 33 iscomprised of at least one diode. Some non-limiting exampleconfigurations for the rectifier 33 include, but are not limited toincluding, a full wave rectifier, including a center tapped full waverectifier and a full wave rectifier with filter, a half wave rectifier,including a half wave rectifier with filter, a bridge rectifier,including a bridge rectifier with filter, a split supply rectifier, asingle phase rectifier, a three phase rectifier, a voltage doubler, asynchronous voltage rectifier, a controlled rectifier, an uncontrolledrectifier, and a half controlled rectifier. As electronic devices may besensitive to voltage, additional protection of the electronic device maybe provided by clipper circuits or devices. In this respect, therectifier 33 may further include a clipper circuit or a clipper device,which is a circuit or device that removes either the positive half (tophalf), the negative half (bottom half), or both the positive and thenegative halves of an input AC signal. In other words, a clipper is acircuit or device that limits the positive amplitude, the negativeamplitude, or both the positive and the negative amplitudes of the inputAC signal.

Some non-limiting examples of a voltage regulator 35 include, but arenot limited to, including a series linear voltage regulator, a buckconvertor, a low dropout (LDO) regulator, a shunt linear voltageregulator, a step up switching voltage regulator, a step down switchingvoltage regulator, an invertor voltage regulator, a Zener controlledtransistor series voltage regulator, a charge pump regulator, and anemitter follower voltage regulator. The voltage regulator 35 may furtherinclude a voltage multiplier, which is as an electronic circuit ordevice that delivers an output voltage having an amplitude (peak value)that is two, three, or more times greater than the amplitude (peakvalue) of the input voltage. The voltage regulator 35 is in electricalconnection with the rectifier 33 and configured to adjust the amplitudeof the electrical voltage of the wirelessly received electrical energysignal, after conversion to AC by the rectifier 33. In some examples,the voltage regulator 35 may an LDO linear voltage regulator; however,other voltage regulation circuits and/or systems are contemplated. Asillustrated, the direct current electrical energy signal output by thevoltage regulator 35 is received at the load 16 of the electronic device14. In some examples, a portion of the direct current electrical powersignal may be utilized to power the receiver control system 36 and anycomponents thereof; however, it is certainly possible that the receivercontrol system 36, and any components thereof, may be powered and/orreceive signals from the load 16 (e.g., when the load 16 is a batteryand/or other power source) and/or other components of the electronicdevice 14.

The receiver control system 36 may include, but is not limited toincluding, a receiver controller 38, a demodulation circuit 70, acurrent sensor 57, and a memory 37. The receiver controller 38 may beany electronic controller or computing system that includes, at least, aprocessor which performs operations, executes control algorithms, storesdata, retrieves data, gathers data, controls and/or providescommunication with other components and/or subsystems associated withthe wireless receiver system 30. The receiver controller 38 may be asingle controller or may include more than one controller disposed tocontrol various functions and/or features of the wireless receiversystem 30. Functionality of the receiver controller 38 may beimplemented in hardware and/or software and may rely on one or more datamaps relating to the operation of the wireless receiver system 30. Tothat end, the receiver controller 38 may be operatively associated withthe memory 37. The memory may include one or both of internal memory,external memory, and/or remote memory (e.g., a database and/or serveroperatively connected to the receiver controller 38 via a network, suchas, but not limited to, the Internet). The internal memory and/orexternal memory may include, but are not limited to including, one ormore of a read only memory (ROM), including programmable read-onlymemory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM orsometimes but rarely labelled EROM), electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (EEPROM), random access memory (RAM), including dynamicRAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), singledata rate synchronous dynamic RAM (SDR SDRAM), double data ratesynchronous dynamic RAM (DDR SDRAM, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4), and graphicsdouble data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (GDDR SDRAM, GDDR2, GDDR3,GDDR4, GDDR5), a flash memory, a portable memory, and the like. Suchmemory media are examples of nontransitory computer readable memorymedia.

Further, while particular elements of the receiver control system 36 areillustrated as subcomponents and/or circuits (e.g., the memory 37, amongother contemplated elements) of the receiver control system 36, suchcomponents may be external of the receiver controller 38. In someexamples, the receiver controller 38 may be and/or include one or moreintegrated circuits configured to include functional elements of one orboth of the receiver controller 38 and the wireless receiver system 30,generally. As used herein, the term “integrated circuits” generallyrefers to a circuit in which all or some of the circuit elements areinseparably associated and electrically interconnected so that it isconsidered to be indivisible for the purposes of construction andcommerce. Such integrated circuits may include, but are not limited toincluding, thin-film transistors, thick-film technologies, and/or hybridintegrated circuits.

The current sensor 57 may be any sensor configured to determineelectrical information from an electrical signal, such as a voltage or acurrent, based on a current reading at the current sensor 57. Componentsof an example current sensor 57 are further illustrated in FIG. 7 ,which is a block diagram for the current sensor 57. The current sensor57 may include a transformer 51, a rectifier 53, and/or a low passfilter 55, to process the AC wireless signals, transferred via couplingbetween the wireless receiver system 30 and wireless transmission system20, to determine or provide information to derive a current (I_(Rx)) orvoltage (V_(Rx)) at the receiver antenna 31. The transformer 51 mayreceive the AC wireless signals and either step up or step down thevoltage of the AC wireless signal, such that it can properly beprocessed by the current sensor. The rectifier 53 may receive thetransformed AC wireless signal and rectify the signal, such that anynegative voltages remaining in the transformed AC wireless signal areeither eliminated or converted to opposite positive voltages, togenerate a rectified AC wireless signal. The low pass filter 55 isconfigured to receive the rectified AC wireless signal and filter out ACcomponents (e.g., the operating or carrier frequency of the AC wirelesssignal) of the rectified AC wireless signal, such that a DC voltage isoutput for the current (I_(Rx) and/or voltage (V_(Rx)) at the receiverantenna 31.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram for a demodulation circuit 70 for the wirelessreceiver system 30, which is used by the wireless receiver system 30 tosimplify or decode components of wireless data signals of an alternatingcurrent (AC) wireless signal, prior to transmission of the wireless datasignal to the receiver controller 38. The demodulation circuit 70includes, at least, a slope detector 72 and a comparator 74. In someexamples, the demodulation circuit 70 includes a set/reset (SR) latch76. In some examples, the demodulation circuit 70 may be an analogcircuit comprised of one or more passive components (e.g., resistors,capacitors, inductors, diodes, among other passive components) and/orone or more active components (e.g., operational amplifiers, logicgates, among other active components). Alternatively, it is contemplatedthat the demodulation circuit 70 and some or all of its components maybe implemented as an integrated circuit (IC). In either an analogcircuit or IC, it is contemplated that the demodulation circuit may beexternal of the receiver controller 38 and is configured to provideinformation associated with wireless data signals transmitted from thewireless transmission system 20 to the wireless transmission receiversystem 30.

The demodulation circuit 70 is configured to receive electricalinformation (e.g., I_(Rx), V_(Rx)) from at least one sensor (e.g., thecurrent sensor 57), detect a change in such electrical information,determine if the change in the electrical information meets or exceedsone of a rise threshold or a fall threshold. If the change exceeds oneof the rise threshold or the fall threshold, the demodulation circuit 70generates an alert, and, outputs a plurality of data alerts. Such dataalerts are received by the receiver controller 38 and decoded by thereceiver controller 38 to determine the wireless data signals. In otherwords, the demodulation circuit 70 is configured to monitor the slope ofan electrical signal and output an alert if said slope exceeds a maximumslope threshold or undershoots a minimum slope threshold.

Such slope monitoring and/or slope detection by the communicationssystem 70 is particularly useful when detecting or decoding an amplitudeshift keying (ASK) signal that encodes the wireless data signals in-bandof the wireless power signal at the operating frequency. In an ASKsignal, the wireless data signals are encoded by damping the voltage ofthe magnetic field between the wireless transmission system 20 and thewireless receiver system 30. Such damping and subsequent re-rising ofthe voltage in the field is performed based on an encoding scheme forthe wireless data signals (e.g., binary coding, Manchester coding,pulse-width modulated coding, among other known or novel coding systemsand methods). The receiver of the wireless data signals (e.g., thewireless receiver system 30) must then detect rising and falling edgesof the voltage of the field and decode said rising and falling edges toreceive the wireless data signals.

While in a theoretical, ideal scenario, an ASK signal will rise and fallinstantaneously, with no slope between the high voltage and the lowvoltage for ASK modulation; however, in physical reality, there is sometime that passes when the ASK signal transitions from the “high” voltageto the “low” voltage. Thus, the voltage or current signal sensed by thedemodulation circuit 70 will have some, knowable slope or rate of changein voltage when transitioning from the high ASK voltage to the low ASKvoltage. By configuring the demodulation circuit 70 to determine whensaid slope meets, overshoots and/or undershoots such rise and fallthresholds, known for the slope when operating in the system 10, thedemodulation circuit can accurately detect rising and falling edges ofthe ASK signal.

Thus, a relatively inexpensive and/or simplified circuit may be utilizedto, at least partially, decode ASK signals down to alerts for rising andfalling instances. So long as the receiver controller 38 is programmedto understand the coding schema of the ASK modulation, the receivercontroller 38 will expend far less computational resources than it wouldif it had to decode the leading and falling edges directly from an inputcurrent or voltage sense signal from the current sensor 57. To that end,as the computational resources required by the receiver controller 38 todecode the wireless data signals are significantly decreased due to theinclusion of the demodulation circuit 70, the demodulation circuit 70may significantly reduce BOM of the wireless receiver system 30, byallowing usage of cheaper, less computationally capable processor(s) foror with the receiver controller 38.

The demodulation circuit 70 may be particularly useful in reducing thecomputational burden for decoding data signals, at the receivercontroller 38, when the ASK wireless data signals are encoded/decodedutilizing a pulse-width encoded ASK signals, in-band of the wirelesspower signals. A pulse-width encoded ASK signal refers to a signalwherein the data is encoded as a percentage of a period of a signal. Forexample, a two-bit pulse width encoded signal may encode a start bit as20% of a period between high edges of the signal, encode “1” as 40% of aperiod between high edges of the signal, and encode “0” as 60% of aperiod between high edges of the signal, to generate a binary encodingformat in the pulse width encoding scheme. Thus, as the pulse widthencoding relies solely on monitoring rising and falling edges of the ASKsignal, the periods between rising times need not be constant and thedata signals may be asynchronous or “unclocked.” Examples of pulse widthencoding and systems and methods to perform such pulse width encodingare explained in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/735,342 titled “Systems and Methods for Wireless Power TransferIncluding Pulse Width Encoded Data Communications,” to Michael Katz,which is commonly owned by the owner of the instant application and ishereby incorporated by reference.

Turning now to FIG. 9 , with continued reference to FIG. 8 , anelectrical schematic diagram for the demodulation circuit 70 isillustrated. Additionally, reference will be made to FIG. 10 , which isan exemplary timing diagram illustrating signal shape or waveform atvarious stages or sub-circuits of the demodulation circuit 70. The inputsignal to the demodulation circuit 70 is illustrated in FIG. 10 as PlotA, showing rising and falling edges from a “high” voltage (V_(High)) onthe receiver antenna 31 to a “low” voltage (V_(Low)) on the receiverantenna 31. The voltage signal of Plot A may be derived from, forexample, a current (I_(Rx)) sensed at the receiver antenna 31 by thecurrent sensor 57. Such rises and falls from V_(High) to V_(Low) may becaused by load modulation, performed at the wireless transmissionsystem(s) 20, to modulate the wireless power signals to include thewireless data signals via ASK modulation. As illustrated, the voltage ofPlot A does not cleanly rise and fall when the ASK modulation isperformed; rather, a slope or slopes, indicating rate(s) of change,occur during the transitions from V_(High) to Wow and vice versa.

As illustrated in FIG. 9 , the slope detector 72 includes a high passfilter 71, an operation amplifier (OpAmp) OP_(SD), and an optionalstabilizing circuit 73. The high pass filter 71 is configured to monitorfor higher frequency components of the AC wireless signals and mayinclude, at least, a filter capacitor (C_(HF)) and a filter resistor(R_(HF)). The values for C_(HF) and R_(HF) are selected and/or tuned fora desired cutoff frequency for the high pass filter 71. In someexamples, the cutoff frequency for the high pass filter 71 may beselected as a value greater than or equal to about 1-2 kHz, to ensureadequately fast slope detection by the slope detector 72, when theoperating frequency of the system 10 is on the order of MHz (e.g., anoperating frequency of about 6.78 MHz). In some examples, the high passfilter 71 is configured such that harmonic components of the detectedslope are unfiltered. In view of the current sensor 57 of FIG. 5 , thehigh pass filter 71 and the low pass filter 55, in combination, mayfunction as a bandpass filter for the demodulation circuit 70.

OP_(SD) is any operational amplifier having an adequate bandwidth forproper signal response, for outputting the slope of VT, but low enoughto attenuate components of the signal that are based on the operatingfrequency and/or harmonics of the operating frequency. Additionally oralternatively, OP_(SD) may be selected to have a small input voltagerange for V_(Tx), such that OP_(SD) may avoid unnecessary error orclipping during large changes in voltage at V_(Tx). Further, an inputbias voltage (V_(Bias)) for OP_(SD) may be selected based on values thatensure OP_(SD) will not saturate under boundary conditions (e.g.,steepest slopes, largest changes in V_(Tx)). It is to be noted, and isillustrated in Plot B of FIG. 10 , that when no slope is detected, theoutput of the slope detector 72 will be V_(Bias).

As the passive components of the slope detector 72 will set theterminals and zeroes for a transfer function of the slope detector 72,such passive components must be selected to ensure stability. To thatend, if the desired and/or available components selected for C_(HF) andR_(HF) do not adequately set the terminals and zeros for the transferfunction, additional, optional stability capacitor(s) C_(ST) may beplaced in parallel with R_(HF) and stability resistor R_(ST) may beplaced in the input path to OP_(SD).

Output of the slope detector 72 (Plot B representing V_(SD)) mayapproximate the following equation:

$V_{SD} = {{- R_{HF}C_{HF}\frac{dV}{dt}} + V_{Bias}}$Thus, V_(SD) will approximate to V_(Bias), when no change in voltage(slope) is detected, and V_(SD) will output the change in voltage(dV/dt), as scaled by the high pass filter 71, when V_(Tx) rises andfalls between the high voltage and the low voltage of the ASKmodulation. The output of the slope detector 72, as illustrated in PlotB, may be a pulse, showing slope of V_(Tx) rise and fall.

V_(SD) is output to the comparator circuit(s) 74, which is configured toreceive V_(SD), compare V_(SD) to a rising rate of change for thevoltage (V_(SUp)) and a falling rate of change for the voltage(V_(SLo)). If V_(SD) exceeds or meets V_(SUp), then the comparatorcircuit will determine that the change in V_(Tx) meets the risethreshold and indicates a rising edge in the ASK modulation. If V_(SD)goes below or meets V_(Slow), then the comparator circuit will determinethat the change in V_(Tx) meets the fall threshold and indicates afalling edge of the ASK modulation. It is to be noted that V_(SUp) andV_(SLo) may be selected to ensure a symmetrical triggering.

In some examples, such as the comparator circuit 74 illustrated in FIG.9 , the comparator circuit 74 may comprise a window comparator circuit.In such examples, the V_(SUp) and V_(SLo) may be set as a fraction ofthe power supply determined by resistor values of the comparator circuit74. In some such examples, resistor values in the comparator circuit maybe configured such that

$V_{Sup} = {V_{in}\lbrack \frac{R_{U2}}{R_{U1} + R_{U2}} \rbrack}$$V_{SLo} = {V_{in}\lbrack \frac{R_{L2}}{R_{L1} + R_{L2}} \rbrack}$

where Vin is a power supply determined by the comparator circuit 74.When V_(SD) exceeds the set limits for V_(SUp) or V_(SLo), thecomparator circuit 74 triggers and pulls the output (V_(Cout)) low.

Further, while the output of the comparator circuit 74 could be outputto the receiver controller 38 and utilized to decode the wireless datasignals by signaling the rising and falling edges of the ASK modulation,in some examples, the SR latch 76 may be included to add noise reductionand/or a filtering mechanism for the slope detector 72. The SR latch 76may be configured to latch the signal (Plot C) in a steady state to beread by the receiver controller 38, until a reset is performed. In someexamples, the SR latch 76 may perform functions of latching thecomparator signal and serve as an inverter to create an active highalert out signal. Accordingly, the SR latch 76 may be any SR latch knownin the art configured to sequentially excite when the system detects aslope or other modulation excitation. As illustrated, the SR latch 76may include NOR gates, wherein such NOR gates may be configured to havean adequate propagation delay for the signal. For example, the SR latch76 may include two NOR gates (NOR_(Up), NOR_(Lo)), each NOR gateoperatively associated with the upper voltage output 78 of thecomparator 74 and the lower voltage output 79 of the comparator 74.

In some examples, such as those illustrated in Plot C, a reset of the SRlatch 76 is triggered when the comparator circuit 74 outputs detectionof V_(SUp) (solid plot on Plot C) and a set of the SR latch 76 istriggered when the comparator circuit 74 outputs V_(SLo) (dashed plot onPlot C). Thus, the reset of the SR latch 76 indicates a falling edge ofthe ASK modulation and the set of the SR latch 76 indicates a risingedge of the ASK modulation. Accordingly, as illustrated in Plot D, therising and falling edges, indicated by the demodulation circuit 70, areinput to the receiver controller 38 as alerts, which are decoded todetermine the received wireless data signal transmitted, via the ASKmodulation, from the wireless transmission system 20.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example, non-limiting embodiment of one or bothof the transmitter antenna 21 and/or the receiver antenna 31 that may beused with any of the systems, methods, and/or apparatus disclosedherein. In the illustrated embodiment, the antenna 21, 31, is a flatspiral coil configuration. Non-limiting examples can be found in U.S.Pat. Nos. 9,941,743, 9,960,628, 9,941,743 all to Peralta et al.;9,948,129, 10,063,100 to Singh et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 9,941,590 toLuzinski; U.S. Pat. No. 9,960,629 to Rajagopalan et al.; and U.S. PatentApp. Nos. 2017/0040107, 2017/0040105, 2017/0040688 to Peralta et al.;all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present application andincorporated fully herein by reference.

In addition, the antenna 21, 31 may be constructed having amulti-layer-multi-turn (MLMT) construction in which at least oneinsulator is positioned between a plurality of conductors. Non-limitingexamples of antennas having an MLMT construction that may beincorporated within the wireless transmission system(s) 20 and/or thewireless receiver system(s) 30 may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,610,530,8,653,927, 8,680,960, 8,692,641, 8,692,642, 8,698,590, 8,698,591,8,707,546, 8,710,948, 8,803,649, 8,823,481, 8,823,482, 8,855,786,8,898,885, 9,208,942, 9,232,893, and 9,300,046 to Singh et al., all ofwhich are assigned to the assignee of the present application areincorporated fully herein. These are merely exemplary antenna examples;however, it is contemplated that the antennas 31 may be any antennacapable of the aforementioned higher power, high frequency wirelesspower transfer.

FIG. 12 is an example block diagram for a method 1000 of designing asystem for wirelessly transferring one or more of electrical energy,electrical power, electromagnetic energy, and electronic data, inaccordance with the systems, methods, and apparatus of the presentdisclosure. To that end, the method 1000 may be utilized to design asystem in accordance with any disclosed embodiments of the system 10 andany components thereof.

At block 1200, the method 1000 includes designing a wirelesstransmission system for use in the system 10. The wireless transmissionsystem designed at block 1200 may be designed in accordance with one ormore of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the wirelesstransmission system 20, in whole or in part and, optionally, includingany components thereof. Block 1200 may be implemented as a method 1200for designing a wireless transmission system.

Turning now to FIG. 13 and with continued reference to the method 1000of FIG. 12 , an example block diagram for the method 1200 for designinga wireless transmission system is illustrated. The wireless transmissionsystem designed by the method 1200 may be designed in accordance withone or more of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of thewireless transmission system 20 in whole or in part and, optionally,including any components thereof. The method 1200 includes designingand/or selecting a transmission antenna for the wireless transmissionsystem, as illustrated in block 1210. The designed and/or selectedtransmission antenna may be designed and/or selected in accordance withone or more of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of thetransmission antenna 21, in whole or in part and including anycomponents thereof. The method 1200 also includes designing and/ortuning a transmission tuning system for the wireless transmissionsystem, as illustrated in block 1220. Such designing and/or tuning maybe utilized for, but not limited to being utilized for, impedancematching, as discussed in more detail above. The designed and/or tunedtransmission tuning system may be designed and/or tuned in accordancewith one or more of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments ofwireless transmission system 20, in whole or in part and, optionally,including any components thereof.

The method 1200 further includes designing a power conditioning systemfor the wireless transmission system 20, 120, as illustrated in block1230. The power conditioning system designed may be designed with any ofa plurality of power output characteristic considerations, such as, butnot limited to, power transfer efficiency, maximizing a transmission gap(e.g., the gap 17), increasing output voltage to a receiver, mitigatingpower losses during wireless power transfer, increasing power outputwithout degrading fidelity for data communications, optimizing poweroutput for multiple coils receiving power from a common circuit and/oramplifier, among other contemplated power output characteristicconsiderations. The power conditioning system may be designed inaccordance with one or more of the aforementioned and disclosedembodiments of the power conditioning system 40, in whole or in partand, optionally, including any components thereof. Further, at block1240, the method 1200 may involve determining and/or optimizing aconnection, and any associated connection components, between the inputpower source 12 and the power conditioning system that is designed atblock 1230. Such determining and/or optimizing may include selecting andimplementing protection mechanisms and/or apparatus, selecting and/orimplementing voltage protection mechanisms, among other things.

The method 1200 further includes designing and/or programing atransmission control system of the wireless transmission system of themethod 1000, as illustrated in block 1250. The designed transmissioncontrol system may be designed in accordance with one or more of theaforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the transmission controlsystem 26, in whole or in part and, optionally, including any componentsthereof. Such components thereof include, but are not limited toincluding, the sensing system 50, the driver 41, the transmissioncontroller 28, the memory 27, the communications system 29, the thermalsensing system 52, the object sensing system 54, the receiver sensingsystem 56, the other sensor(s) 58, the gate voltage regulator 43, thePWM generator 41, the frequency generator 348, in whole or in part and,optionally, including any components thereof.

Returning now to FIG. 12 , at block 1300, the method 1000 includesdesigning a wireless receiver system for use in the system 10. Thewireless transmission system designed at block 1300 may be designed inaccordance with one or more of the aforementioned and disclosedembodiments of the wireless receiver system 30 in whole or in part and,optionally, including any components thereof. Block 1300 may beimplemented as a method 1300 for designing a wireless receiver system.

Turning now to FIG. 14 and with continued reference to the method 1000of FIG. 12 , an example block diagram for the method 1300 for designinga wireless receiver system is illustrated. The wireless receiver systemdesigned by the method 1300 may be designed in accordance with one ormore of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the wirelessreceiver system 30 in whole or in part and, optionally, including anycomponents thereof. The method 1300 includes designing and/or selectinga receiver antenna for the wireless receiver system, as illustrated inblock 1310. The designed and/or selected receiver antenna may bedesigned and/or selected in accordance with one or more of theaforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the receiver antenna 31, inwhole or in part and including any components thereof. The method 1300includes designing and/or tuning a receiver tuning system for thewireless receiver system, as illustrated in block 1320. Such designingand/or tuning may be utilized for, but not limited to being utilizedfor, impedance matching, as discussed in more detail above. The designedand/or tuned receiver tuning system may be designed and/or tuned inaccordance with one or more of the aforementioned and disclosedembodiments of the receiver tuning and filtering system 34 in whole orin part and/or, optionally, including any components thereof.

The method 1300 further includes designing a power conditioning systemfor the wireless receiver system, as illustrated in block 1330. Thepower conditioning system may be designed with any of a plurality ofpower output characteristic considerations, such as, but not limited to,power transfer efficiency, maximizing a transmission gap (e.g., the gap17), increasing output voltage to a receiver, mitigating power lossesduring wireless power transfer, increasing power output withoutdegrading fidelity for data communications, optimizing power output formultiple coils receiving power from a common circuit and/or amplifier,among other contemplated power output characteristic considerations. Thepower conditioning system may be designed in accordance with one or moreof the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the powerconditioning system 32 in whole or in part and, optionally, includingany components thereof. Further, at block 1340, the method 1300 mayinvolve determining and/or optimizing a connection, and any associatedconnection components, between the load 16 and the power conditioningsystem of block 1330. Such determining may include selecting andimplementing protection mechanisms and/or apparatus, selecting and/orimplementing voltage protection mechanisms, among other things.

The method 1300 further includes designing and/or programing a receivercontrol system of the wireless receiver system of the method 1300, asillustrated in block 1350. The designed receiver control system may bedesigned in accordance with one or more of the aforementioned anddisclosed embodiments of the receiver control system 36 in whole or inpart and, optionally, including any components thereof. Such componentsthereof include, but are not limited to including, the receivercontroller 38, the memory 37, and the communications system 39, in wholeor in part and, optionally, including any components thereof.

Returning now to the method 1000 of FIG. 12 , the method 1000 furtherincludes, at block 1400, optimizing and/or tuning both the wirelesstransmission system and the wireless receiver system for wireless powertransfer. Such optimizing and/or tuning includes, but is not limited toincluding, controlling and/or tuning parameters of system components tomatch impedance, optimize and/or set voltage and/or power levels of anoutput power signal, among other things and in accordance with any ofthe disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus herein. Further, themethod 1000 includes optimizing and/or tuning one or both of thewireless transmission system and the wireless receiver system for datacommunications, in view of system characteristics necessary for wirelesspower transfer. Such optimizing and/or tuning includes, but is notlimited to including, optimizing power characteristics for concurrenttransmission of electrical power signals and electrical data signals,tuning quality factors of antennas for different transmission schemes,among other things and in accordance with any of the disclosed systems,methods, and apparatus herein.

FIG. 15 is an example block diagram for a method 2000 for manufacturinga system for wirelessly transferring one or both of electrical powersignals and electrical data signals, in accordance with the systems,methods, and apparatus of the present disclosure. To that end, themethod 2000 may be utilized to manufacture a system in accordance withany disclosed embodiments of the system 10 and any components thereof.

At block 2200, the method 2000 includes manufacturing a wirelesstransmission system for use in the system 10. The wireless transmissionsystem manufactured at block 2200 may be designed in accordance with oneor more of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the wirelesstransmission system 20 in whole or in part and, optionally, includingany components thereof. Block 2200 may be implemented as a method 2200for manufacturing a wireless transmission system.

Turning now to FIG. 16 and with continued reference to the method 2000of FIG. 15 , an example block diagram for the method 2200 formanufacturing a wireless transmission system is illustrated. Thewireless transmission system manufactured by the method 2200 may bemanufactured in accordance with one or more of the aforementioned anddisclosed embodiments of the wireless transmission system 20 in whole orin part and, optionally, including any components thereof. The method2200 includes manufacturing a transmission antenna for the wirelesstransmission system, as illustrated in block 2210. The manufacturedtransmission system may be built and/or tuned in accordance with one ormore of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the transmissionantenna 21, in whole or in part and including any components thereof.The method 2200 also includes building and/or tuning a transmissiontuning system for the wireless transmission system, as illustrated inblock 2220. Such building and/or tuning may be utilized for, but notlimited to being utilized for, impedance matching, as discussed in moredetail above. The built and/or tuned transmission tuning system may bedesigned and/or tuned in accordance with one or more of theaforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the transmission tuningsystem 24, in whole or in part and, optionally, including any componentsthereof.

The method 2200 further includes selecting and/or connecting a powerconditioning system for the wireless transmission system, as illustratedin block 2230. The power conditioning system manufactured may bedesigned with any of a plurality of power output characteristicconsiderations, such as, but not limited to, power transfer efficiency,maximizing a transmission gap (e.g., the gap 17), increasing outputvoltage to a receiver, mitigating power losses during wireless powertransfer, increasing power output without degrading fidelity for datacommunications, optimizing power output for multiple coils receivingpower from a common circuit and/or amplifier, among other contemplatedpower output characteristic considerations. The power conditioningsystem may be designed in accordance with one or more of theaforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the power conditioningsystem 40 in whole or in part and, optionally, including any componentsthereof. Further, at block 2240, the method 2200 involve determiningand/or optimizing a connection, and any associated connectioncomponents, between the input power source 12 and the power conditioningsystem of block 2230. Such determining may include selecting andimplementing protection mechanisms and/or apparatus, selecting and/orimplementing voltage protection mechanisms, among other things.

The method 2200 further includes assembling and/or programing atransmission control system of the wireless transmission system of themethod 2000, as illustrated in block 2250. The assembled transmissioncontrol system may be assembled and/or programmed in accordance with oneor more of the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of thetransmission control system 26 in whole or in part and, optionally,including any components thereof. Such components thereof include, butare not limited to including, the sensing system 50, the driver 41, thetransmission controller 28, the memory 27, the communications system 29,the thermal sensing system 52, the object sensing system 54, thereceiver sensing system 56, the other sensor(s) 58, the gate voltageregulator 43, the PWM generator 41, the frequency generator 348, inwhole or in part and, optionally, including any components thereof.

Returning now to FIG. 15 , at block 2300, the method 2000 includesmanufacturing a wireless receiver system for use in the system 10. Thewireless transmission system manufactured at block 2300 may be designedin accordance with one or more of the aforementioned and disclosedembodiments of the wireless receiver system 30 in whole or in part and,optionally, including any components thereof. Block 2300 may beimplemented as a method 2300 for manufacturing a wireless receiversystem.

Turning now to FIG. 17 and with continued reference to the method 2000of FIG. 14 , an example block diagram for the method 2300 formanufacturing a wireless receiver system is illustrated. The wirelessreceiver system manufactured by the method 2300 may be designed inaccordance with one or more of the aforementioned and disclosedembodiments of the wireless receiver system 30 in whole or in part and,optionally, including any components thereof. The method 2300 includesmanufacturing a receiver antenna for the wireless receiver system, asillustrated in block 2310. The manufactured receiver antenna may bemanufactured, designed, and/or selected in accordance with one or moreof the aforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the receiver antenna31 in whole or in part and including any components thereof. The method2300 includes building and/or tuning a receiver tuning system for thewireless receiver system, as illustrated in block 2320. Such buildingand/or tuning may be utilized for, but not limited to being utilizedfor, impedance matching, as discussed in more detail above. The builtand/or tuned receiver tuning system may be designed and/or tuned inaccordance with one or more of the aforementioned and disclosedembodiments of the receiver tuning and filtering system 34 in whole orin part and, optionally, including any components thereof.

The method 2300 further includes selecting and/or connecting a powerconditioning system for the wireless receiver system, as illustrated inblock 2330. The power conditioning system designed may be designed withany of a plurality of power output characteristic considerations, suchas, but not limited to, power transfer efficiency, maximizing atransmission gap (e.g., the gap 17), increasing output voltage to areceiver, mitigating power losses during wireless power transfer,increasing power output without degrading fidelity for datacommunications, optimizing power output for multiple coils receivingpower from a common circuit and/or amplifier, among other contemplatedpower output characteristic considerations. The power conditioningsystem may be designed in accordance with one or more of theaforementioned and disclosed embodiments of the power conditioningsystem 32 in whole or in part and, optionally, including any componentsthereof. Further, at block 2340, the method 2300 may involve determiningand/or optimizing a connection, and any associated connectioncomponents, between the load 16 and the power conditioning system ofblock 2330. Such determining may include selecting and implementingprotection mechanisms and/or apparatus, selecting and/or implementingvoltage protection mechanisms, among other things.

The method 2300 further includes assembling and/or programing a receivercontrol system of the wireless receiver system of the method 2300, asillustrated in block 2350. The assembled receiver control system may bedesigned in accordance with one or more of the aforementioned anddisclosed embodiments of the receiver control system 36 in whole or inpart and, optionally, including any components thereof. Such componentsthereof include, but are not limited to including, the receivercontroller 38, the memory 37, and the communications system 39, in wholeor in part and, optionally, including any components thereof.

Returning now to the method 2000 of FIG. 15 , the method 2000 furtherincludes, at block 2400, optimizing and/or tuning both the wirelesstransmission system and the wireless receiver system for wireless powertransfer. Such optimizing and/or tuning includes, but is not limited toincluding, controlling and/or tuning parameters of system components tomatch impedance, optimize and/or configure voltage and/or power levelsof an output power signal, among other things and in accordance with anyof the disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus herein. Further, themethod 2000 includes optimizing and/or tuning one or both of thewireless transmission system and the wireless receiver system for datacommunications, in view of system characteristics necessary for wirelesspower transfer, as illustrated at block 2500. Such optimizing and/ortuning includes, but is not limited to including, optimizing powercharacteristics for concurrent transmission of electrical power signalsand electrical data signals, tuning quality factors of antennas fordifferent transmission schemes, among other things and in accordancewith any of the disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus herein.

The systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein are designed tooperate in an efficient, stable and reliable manner to satisfy a varietyof operating and environmental conditions. The systems, methods, and/orapparatus disclosed herein are designed to operate in a wide range ofthermal and mechanical stress environments so that data and/orelectrical energy is transmitted efficiently and with minimal loss. Inaddition, the system 10 may be designed with a small form factor using afabrication technology that allows for scalability, and at a cost thatis amenable to developers and adopters. In addition, the systems,methods, and apparatus disclosed herein may be designed to operate overa wide range of frequencies to meet the requirements of a wide range ofapplications.

In an embodiment, a ferrite shield may be incorporated within theantenna structure to improve antenna performance. Selection of theferrite shield material may be dependent on the operating frequency asthe complex magnetic permeability (μ=μ′−j*μ″) is frequency dependent.The material may be a polymer, a sintered flexible ferrite sheet, arigid shield, or a hybrid shield, wherein the hybrid shield comprises arigid portion and a flexible portion. Additionally, the magnetic shieldmay be composed of varying material compositions. Examples of materialsmay include, but are not limited to, zinc comprising ferrite materialssuch as manganese-zinc, nickel-zinc, copper-zinc, magnesium-zinc, andcombinations thereof.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series ofitems, with the term “and” or “or” to separate any of the items,modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list (i.e.,each item). The phrase “at least one of” does not require selection ofat least one of each item listed; rather, the phrase allows a meaningthat includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least oneof any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of theitems. By way of example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or“at least one of A, B, or C” each refer to only A, only B, or only C;any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, andC.

The predicate words “configured to”, “operable to”, and “programmed to”do not imply any particular tangible or intangible modification of asubject, but, rather, are intended to be used interchangeably. In one ormore embodiments, a processor configured to monitor and control anoperation or a component may also mean the processor being programmed tomonitor and control the operation or the processor being operable tomonitor and control the operation. Likewise, a processor configured toexecute code can be construed as a processor programmed to execute codeor operable to execute code.

A phrase such as “an aspect” does not imply that such aspect isessential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to allconfigurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to anaspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations.An aspect may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. A phrasesuch as an “aspect” may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. Aphrase such as an “embodiment” does not imply that such embodiment isessential to the subject technology or that such embodiment applies toall configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating toan embodiment may apply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments.An embodiment may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. Aphrase such an “embodiment” may refer to one or more embodiments andvice versa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that suchconfiguration is essential to the subject technology or that suchconfiguration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. Adisclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations,or one or more configurations. A configuration may provide one or moreexamples of the disclosure. A phrase such as a “configuration” may referto one or more configurations and vice versa.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as“exemplary” or as an “example” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Furthermore, to theextent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in thedescription or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in amanner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted whenemployed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extentthat the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the descriptionor the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similarto the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as atransitional word in a claim.

All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the variousaspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or latercome to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expresslyincorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed bythe claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to bededicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure isexplicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construedunder the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless theelement is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in thecase of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “stepfor.”

Reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one andonly one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.”Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one ormore. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine andneuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headings andsubheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit thesubject disclosure.

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not beconstrued as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but ratheras descriptions of particular implementations of the subject matter.Certain features that are described in this specification in the contextof separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in asingle embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described inthe context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multipleembodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover,although features may be described above as acting in certaincombinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more featuresfrom a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from thecombination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a sub combination.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A wireless receiver system comprising: acomputer peripheral comprising: a receiver antenna configured to couplewith at least one other antenna of at least one other system and receivealternating current (AC) signals from the at least one other antenna,the AC signals including power signals and data signals, the datasignals generated by altering electrical characteristics of the ACsignals at the at least one other system; at least one sensor configuredto detect electrical information associated with the electricalcharacteristics of the AC signals, the electrical information includingone or more of a current of the AC signals, a voltage of the AC signals,a power level of the AC signals, or combinations thereof; a demodulationcircuit configured to (i) receive the electrical information from the atleast one sensor, (ii) detect a change in the electrical information,(iii) determine if the change in the electrical information meets orexceeds one of a rise threshold or a fall threshold, (iv) if the changeexceeds one of the rise threshold or the fall threshold, generate analert, (v) and output a plurality of data alerts; and a receivercontroller configured to (i) receive the plurality of data alerts fromthe demodulation circuit, and (ii) decode the plurality of data alertsto receive the data signals.
 2. The wireless receiver system of claim 1,wherein the data signals are encoded by the at least one other system asamplitude shift keying (ASK) data signals.
 3. The wireless receiversystem of claim 1, wherein the at least one other system encodes thedata signals as high threshold and low threshold voltages of the ACsignals.
 4. The wireless receiver system of claim 3, wherein the risethreshold is associated with the high threshold voltage and the fallthreshold is associated with the low threshold voltage.
 5. The wirelessreceiver system of claim 3, wherein the data signals are encoded aspulse width encoded data signals.
 6. The wireless receiver system ofclaim 1, wherein the electrical information includes a voltage of thepower signals, and wherein the demodulation circuit includes a slopedetector circuit configured to determine a voltage rate of change forthe voltage of the power signals.
 7. The wireless receiver system ofclaim 6, wherein the demodulation circuit includes a comparator circuitconfigured to (i) receive the voltage rate of change, (ii) compare thevoltage rate of change to a rising rate of change, and (iii) determinethat the change in the electrical information meets or exceeds the risethreshold, if the voltage rate of change meets or exceeds the risingrate of change.
 8. The wireless receiver system of claim 6, wherein thedemodulation circuit includes a comparator circuit configured to (i)receive the voltage rate of change, (ii) compare the voltage rate ofchange to a falling rate of change, and (iii) determine that the changein the electrical information meets or exceeds the fall threshold, ifthe voltage rate of change meets or exceeds the falling rate of change.9. The wireless receiver system of claim 6, wherein the demodulationcircuit includes a comparator circuit configured to (i) receive thevoltage rate of change, (ii) compare the voltage rate of change to arising rate of change, (iii) determine that the change in the electricalinformation meets or exceeds the rise threshold, if the voltage rate ofchange meets or exceeds the rising rate of change, (iv) compare thevoltage rate of change to a falling rate of change, and (v) determinethat the change in the electrical information meets or exceeds the fallthreshold, if the voltage rate of change meets or exceeds the fallingrate of change.
 10. The wireless receiver system of claim 9, wherein thedemodulation circuit includes a set/reset (SR) latch in operativecommunication with the comparator circuit.
 11. The wireless receiversystem of claim 1, wherein the receiver antenna is configured to operatebased on an operating frequency of about 6.78 MHz.
 12. A wireless powertransfer system configured to transfer alternating current (AC) signals,the AC signals including power signals and data signals, the systemcomprising: a wireless transmission system including a transmissionantenna, the wireless transmission system configured to alter electricalcharacteristics of the AC signals; and a computer peripheral comprising:a wireless receiver system comprising: a receiver antenna configured tocouple with the transmission antenna and receiver the AC signals fromthe wireless transmission signals; at least one sensor configured todetect electrical information associated with the electricalcharacteristics of the AC signals, the electrical information includingone or more of a current of the AC signals, a voltage of the AC signals,a power level of the AC signals, or combinations thereof; a demodulationcircuit configured to (i) receive the electrical information from the atleast one sensor, (ii) detect a change in the electrical information,(iii) determine if the change in the electrical information meets orexceeds one of a rise threshold or a fall threshold, (iv) if the changeexceeds one of the rise threshold or the fall threshold, generate analert, (v) output a plurality of data alerts; and a receiver controllerconfigured to (i) receive the plurality of data alerts from thedemodulation circuit, and (ii) decode the plurality of data alerts toreceive the data signals.
 13. The wireless power transfer system ofclaim 12, wherein the data signals include a voltage of powertransmitted by the wireless transmission system.
 14. The wireless powertransfer system of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor includes acurrent sensor.
 15. The wireless power transfer system of claim 12,wherein the transmission antenna and the receiver antenna are configuredto operate based on an operating frequency of about 6.78 MHz.
 16. Thewireless power transfer system of claim 12, wherein the wirelesstransmission system encodes the data signals as high threshold and lowthreshold voltages of the AC signals.
 17. The wireless power transfersystem of claim 16, wherein the rise threshold is associated with thehigh threshold voltage and the fall threshold is associated with the lowthreshold voltage.
 18. The wireless power transfer system of claim 17,wherein the data signals are encoded as pulse width encoded datasignals.